The Light In Her Eyes
by The Rainbow Shaka-Brah
Summary: When Max returns to Arcadia Bay, she is shocked to find that life for Chloe Price has been far from perfect. After being sent and later rescued from an abusive reformatory school, Chloe is a completely different person than the girl Max grew up with. Max sees her friend's pain and devotes herself to helping Chloe. As both girls grow closer, old feelings start to arise.
1. Prolouge

_-Buzz Buzz- -Buzz Buzz-_

I grumble groggily and sit up on my bed, a dim light filtering through the shades of my small, bare dorm room. I arrived at Blackwell around midnight last night, having left Seattle the morning before. It's... odd being back in Arcadia Bay, acting as if the past 5 years never happened, but life moves on, I guess. With a small sigh, I rub my eyes and grab my phone that keeps buzzing on my nightstand and turn the alarm off, preparing myself for my first real day here. I keep my phone in my hands for a moment, fiddling around with it before cussing under my breath and flopping back down on the bed.

"Fuck...".

I've been wanting to call Chloe for a week ever since I found out I got accepted into Blackwell for my senior year. But... I haven't had the guts to do it. What do you say to the girl you promised never to abandon after abandoning her? That's what I've been trying to figure out for as long I've been gone. While we did communicate for a while, I never could keep up. So, like the sad, sorry little wuss I am, I dropped all contact with her.

 _You're such an asshole, Max. She's not going to want to talk to you, so you might as well just move on with your sad, lonely, miserable little life._ I shut my eyes and shake though self-destructive thoughts out of my head. _Stop it, Max. You never know what's going to happen until you fucking try, so for once in your life, fucking **try.**_

I stare at my phone for a few more moments before throwing it down and pressing my hands against my face. "Pathetic".

 _Just... go see Joyce at the Two Whales if you can't face Chloe. That will make things easier._

 _I hope..._

With a sigh, I kick off my sheets and get out of bed, both willing and unwilling to start the day. Thankfully class doesn't start for me until tomorrow, giving me some time to set my dorm and get used to living on an on-campus situation. Maybe I should try to get acquainted with the other girls on my floor as well as the other students.

 _This is going to be fun,_ I think with a sarcastic scowl, pulling on a fresh set of jeans from one of the many boxes I've yet to unpack. Socializing has never been my strong suit, hence Chloe being my one and only friend and confidant. _I hope she'll even want to see me after all these years... I don't even know if Joyce and her even live in Arcadia Bay anymore._

Anyways, once I'm dressed I slip out of my dorm and lock the door behind me, my eyes catching sight of the little whiteboard set outside my room. I grab the little marker left there and decide to doodle a little something to mark the room as my own. It's nothing special, just a small stick-figure with a disinterested face staring back at me, the name "Max" written right below.

"Ahem," A voice behind me says.

I nearly jump out of my skin before turning around, seeing a tall blond standing behind me.

"Hi," I mumble softly.

"And just who are you?".

I look at my whiteboard, then back at the girl.

"I'm Max. I'm new,".

"Well, I can see that," she says, turning up her nose slightly as she looks me over once, "So, what's you're deal? What are you here for?".

"Photography," I say with pride.

The girl's eyes narrow.

"What kind of camera do you use?".

"Uh...". I awkwardly fumble for my camera, having tucked it safely in my tote bag before I left.

"What in gods name is that?!" The girl exclaims when I show her my camera.

"It's an analog camera," I tell her, "You know... one that takes polaroids?".

"Oh, I've very aware of what it does. It's why you use one that concerns me".

I blush a little and shift around uncomfortably, "What wrong with using polaroids?".

"Uh, everything?!" The girl snaps, "Pfft, I can tell by your sorry excuse for a wardrobe that you're totally stuck in the retro zone. Well, good luck trying to fit in, Max. I pretty sure Mark, Mr. Jefferson won't fall for waif hipster bullshit".

I stare at her for a moment, unsure of what to say. I keep my gaze down and my head low.

"Hmm... pathetic. It's going to be fun tearing you down, Max. I can already tell it's going to be easy".

"I-...".

"Don't even try. You're better off just going back where you came from. I'm pretty sure your so-called 'talent' is useless here".

I keep quiet at that point, trying not to cry even though I can already feel tears stinging my eyes.

The girl walks away at that point, walking into the dorm across from mine and leaving me alone in the empty hallway with too many emotions to handle.

I let a small sigh escape my lips as I return my camera to it's bag and make my way down the hall, catching sight of another girl peaking her head through one of the other dorms, disappearing when I see her. I don't pay her much mind, trying to get out into the open air so I can regain my composure without anyone seeing me have a breakdown. I make it about halfway down the stairs when I hear footsteps following after me.

"Hey! Wait!".

I pause and turn around, seeing the other girl who was watching us, her blond hair pulled up in a bun.

"Hey... are you okay?".

I nod and unintentionally wiping at my face. "Yeah... I- I think I am, Thanks".

"Don't worry. Victoria's bark is worse than her bite," The other girl says, extending her hand out to me, "I'm Kate, by the way".

"Max," I reply, shaking her hand, "And is this Victoria chick always this mean?".

"Unfortunately. But she just does it for attention,".

"Why? She's so clearly the queen 'b' here... what could she possibly have against me when I haven't even been here for a full day?".

Kate shrugs. "Maybe she sees you as competition".

I scoff, "Doubt it".

"Well, whatever the reason, just try to ignore her. And if she keeps bothering you, we'll figure something out".

 _We'll?_ I repeat in my head, _Did I just make a friend?_

"O- okay. I um, I've gotta go... but, maybe we can hang out later? Y- you seem really cool".

Kate chuckles and nods, "Of course, Max. I'll even introduce you to some of the other girls and show you around campus if you want".

"That'd be great," I say with a small blush as I take a few more steps down the stairs, "I'll see you later, I guess?".

She nods again and waves me off, leaving me a frazzled blushing mess.

 _Agggh, stop it, Max. It's just **one** girl, you don't need to get all panicky when you're around them. But... she **was** sorta cute._

I shake my head and try not to come off as flustered as I exit the dorm building and make my way across campus, hopping on the bus right before it leaves.

* * *

"Two Whales, please," I tell the driver who smiles and nods.

"Sure thing, kid".

So, I scramble towards the back of the bus and find myself an empty seat free of other students. _Good... I think I've done enough socializing for a while,_ I think to myself, hoping that not all the students are like this Victoria girl. With a small sigh, I place my earbuds in my ears and let the relaxing sounds of my music cut me off from the rest of the world for a few minutes.

It's... odd being back in town. Everything feels the same as before I left but... different at the same time.

" _'You can't go home again'_ , said Thomas Wolfe. But...here I am," I say softly to myself, watching the trees fly past the window as we drive.

Home... home is such a weird concept to me. Ask anyone and they'll tell you that 'Home is Where The Heart Is' but... I don't know where my heart lies.

Not anymore.

Not since-

I shake my head again and sigh, not wanting to get into the thoughts that consume my head.

I look around the bus a little, catching sight of a young brown haired boy staring and smiling at me.

When our eyes meet, her waves and I wave back, unsure of what else to do.

But when he gets up from his seat and makes his way over to me, I can't help but to scoot closer to the window, trying to make myself seem smaller than I actually am.

 _Please don't want to talk, please don't want to talk, please don't want to-_

He points to my earbuds and I reluctantly pull them out.

 _Shit._

"Hi...".

"Hey," he says, sitting down right beside me, "You're new, aren't ya?".

I nod a little, "Yeah...".

"Cool. I'm Warren, and you are...".

He gives me a small pause for me to answer, but I don't want to, so I stay quiet for a split second before deciding to answer, wanting this conversation to be over as soon as possible.

"Max," I say, softly and with disinterest.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Max. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around campus then, huh?".

"Y- yeah," I say again.

The boy chuckles a bit before getting up, "A woman of few words, I see. Heh, well alright... I'll leave you be now, Max".

I nod and watch as the boy sits down in his own seat, making me sigh with relief.

 _Yeah... maybe getting to know other students can wait..._

 _Until like, I graduate._

I've never been good at socializing, and that fact shows with just how awkward I am when talking to people.

Chloe's the only person I've been comfortable around, she's the only one I can be _myself_ around.

Sometimes it felt like I was a different person around Chloe like she was the only one who got to see the real me.

 _Around Chloe... I had no filter._

I chuckle at myself for the photography pun, my attention soon broken by the bus slowing down and coming to a stop in front of a very familiar diner.

I freeze for a moment, my anxiety suddenly sky-rocketing.

"This is your stop, kid," The bus driver calls, making me jump slightly in my seat.

 _It's okay, you can do this, you got this,_ I tell myself as I get up and adjust my tote bag around my shoulder.

You got this.

I thank the driver and hop off the bus, listening and watching as it rolls away behind me.

It... looks just like when I left.

There's honestly no surprise there. It's not like the buildings would have changed much... just the businesses.

I sigh softly and make my way inside, the sounds and smells of the diner taking me back to my childhood.

"Wowzer," I mutter, standing idley in the doorway.

"Maxine Caulfield? Is that... you?".

I look up and smile when I see Joyce standing behind the counter, staring at me with disbelief and shock.

"H- hi, Joyce," I tell her, watching as she comes up and embraces me.

"Oh, my word. I thought we'd never see you again after you left for the big city".

I hug Joyce back, shaking my head as I pull away. "No... I'd never do that to Chloe".

Taking a moment, I look around the diner, hoping I spot the girl I left behind.

"Chloe... Chloe's not here right now, sweetie," she says, pausing in between saying her name, which for some reason makes me squirm with even more anxiety.

"How... how is Chloe. I know things couldn't have been easy when I left," I say, allowing the older woman to take my hand in her own, giving them a gentle squeeze.

Joyce sighs and looks down a little, clearly avoiding the question. "Let's... sit down, okay? I'll tell ya more over breakfast. It's almost my break anyway".

I swallow hard and nod, allowing her to lead me to the booth Chloe and I always used to occupy.

"So... tell me how you've been, Max? What brings you back to this quaint little town?".

"Oh... I- I got into Blackwell! I'm taking the photography course there".

Joyce smiles, "That's amazing, Max! I always knew you were going to grow up into a famous photographer".

I chuckle a little, "I'm not famous".

"Not yet,".

I chuckle again, "Yeah... I'm going to get there... I hope".

"So... how long have you been back?".

"I got in last night. I... I wanted to see Chloe before I totally wuss out and not do it," I reply, looking up at her with a sorry expression, "How is Chloe?".

Joyce takes my hands again and sighs.

"Max... a lot happened to Chloe while you were away. Not all of them good".

I swallow hard, feeling my face pale.

"Is she okay?".

Joyce starts to nod, but the shakes her head and shrugs, "It's... hard to tell these days".

I squeeze Joyce's hands back when she tears up, genuine fear settling in my stomach, "What happened?".

"W- well," she says, regaining her composure, "About a year after you left... I- I remarried,".

I blink.

"Oh...".

"Chloe didn't like that, or the man I married".

 _No shit... you, you actually remarried just a year after William died? What the fuck Joyce?_

"Y- you know, Chloe and how she reacts to things she doesn't like, right?".

I nod, "Yeah".

Defiance, disobedience, rebellion, all classic Chloe.

"David... that's my husband, He- he," Joyce pauses and wipes the tears off her face, "After Chloe started acting out against his authority, he sent her off to a reformatory school. And I went along with the idea since I didn't know what else to do".

"You what?!" I exclaim, pulling my hands away.

"I thought it would help her learn some discipline, maybe have a little more respect for David, but-".

"But?" I force, nearing having spoken to an adult like this.

"The school we sent her to... it, it wasn't a good one,".

"What do you mean. What happened?" I push farther, praying to god she's not trying to say what I think she's trying to say.

"They abused her, Max".

And it's as if all the air was sucked out of the room. I literally gasp for air, but get none in return.

"David pulled her out about 7 months into the year, but by that time she-".

Joyce pauses again, but only because I force myself up to my feet and straight up walk out of the diner, **needing** air that I'm not getting.

I stumble outside and start coughing once the fresh air reaches my lungs, tears stinging my eyes.

"C- Chloe..." I wheeze, jumping when I feel a hand rest on my shoulder.

"Max..." Joyce says but I cut her off again.

"What did they do to her?" I demand, leaning against the side of the building, my back turned to the taller woman.

"I'm not sure... she doesn't tell us. Whatever they were doing in that school, it scared her, Max. Chloe... she's not the same".

"W- what?" I say, finally turning to her.

"Whoever it is that's living in my house, that's not my daughter. They reconditioned her, Max. She's... she's different now. She's not the same free-spirited girl I raised, the girl you grew up with".

I choke on a sob at that point.

"Does... would she even remember me?".

"That's the one thing she could never forget, Max," Joyce reassures, "Just... just the other day she asked us if we could take a day trip to Seattle so we can visit you,".

I close my eyes and cry a little, "I should have been there,".

"No... don't do this to yourself, Max. It's me who should have been there," she says, patting me softly on the back.

There's a long moment of silence before either of us speak again.

"Would, would you like to go visit her?".

I look up and nod, trying to stop the flow of tears that escape my eyes. "Y- yeah... I'd like that".

"Okay... I still have to work but I trust you know where the spare keys are?".

I nod again and wipe my face free of tears, "Yeah...".

"Alright... just. When you get there, be gentle with her? She... acts a lot different than what you're used to".

I nod again. "Yeah... I- I'll be gentle", I say finding it an odd concept being gentle with the girl I'd play-wrestle with as a kid.

"I'll be home around 5. Take care of her until then? Make sure she eats somethin?".

"... Yeah. I'll make sure she does" I say, a little confused about what she meant.

 _Isn't Chloe more than capable of taking care of herself?_

"I'll see you in a while then," Joyce says, regaining her bright and cheery appearance as she prepares to go back inside.

"Okay...".

So, once Joyce leaves, I stand alone on the busy sidewalk and try to process all the information I was just given.

 _Oh god... Chloe._

 _I'm so sorry._

 _I should have been there..._

 _I shouldn't have stopped trying..._

 _I'm so sorry..._

 _This is my fault._

I shake my head and sigh, dragging my sleeve across my face until all my tears are but gone.

 _Go see her, Max._

 _Nows your chance to make it up to her..._

 _Go be with her._

* * *

Chloe's house is the same as it was when I left 5 years ago.

It's painted blue, well... half of it is anyways. William never did get to finish his job.

I sigh softly at the memory of Chloe's real father who died a few days before I moved to Seattle.

Walking up to the door, I reach down and grab the plastic rock that houses the spare key, taking the small piece of metal and holding it in my hand for a moment.

 _When I walk through this door, everything is going to change._

 _I'm going to be back in Chloe's life and she's going to be back in mine._

 _So why do I feel so scared?_

I try to shake these thoughts and feeling off as I unlock the door but it's no use.

I have no idea what I'm about to get myself into.

The house is quiet but I can hear someone inside the kitchen, the sound of water and dishes echoing through the small space.

"Mom? Is that you? You're home early... I wasn't expecting you for lunch" a voice says, plain and almost monotone.

I step into the hallway and close the door behind me, unable to say anything when I realize that it's Chloe talking.

 _It... doesn't sound like Chloe._

"Mom?".

I slowly and shyly poke my head around the corner of the kitchen, seeing the tall, blonde-haired Chloe staring back at me with utter disbelief.

"What the..."

"Hey... Chloe," I mumble pathetically, stepping out into the light so she can see me.

Her eyes grow wider as she turns to face me, the dish she had in her hands crashing to the ground as she drops it.

"Max...".


	2. Shattered

Chloe drops to the floor as soon as the dish breaks and I jump back in surprise with just how fast she hits the ground.

"Shit! No, no no no no!" Chloe cries, grabbing the shattered chunks with her bare hands, continuing to mutter "No" to herself.

"Chloe! You're gonna cut yourself!" I say, rushing up to her and grabbing her hands, seeing blood already trickling from cuts as she clenches her fists when I get too close.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It was an accident, I'll clean it up. I'll clean it up, just please... don't hurt me!".

I blink, and pull away, watching as Chloe drops the glass in her bloodied hand and presses them against her head and cowers.

"I- I'm... not going to hurt you, Chloe," I say softly, scared and unsure of what to do in this situation, "I- It's me. It's Max. Do you remember me?".

She stays still for a moment, still muttering incoherently to herself.

"Chloe...".

"I'm sorry".

"Chlo...".

"Please,".

I reach in and take her head in my hands, watching as she flinches under my touch.

"Chloe... look at me," I whisper, gently tracing my thumb over her jawline as an attempt to catch her attention.

The gesture registers for a second and Chloe stiffens up before looking up at me with pale, grey looking eyes.

"Max..."

"Yeah... yeah, it's Max," I tell her, kneeling down beside her, avoiding the glass on the floor.

Chloe continues to stare at me with nearly lifeless eyes, "You... you're here...".

I nod, "Yeah... I'm back. For good this time".

"You're here..." she says again, moving her hands from her head and placing them on my own. I can feel her shaking, "You're really here".

I nod again and try not to tear up at the shocked state my best friend is in.

"You're real".

"Come on... let's get you cleaned up okay?" I tell her softly, "You're hands are bleeding".

"You're here, you're here, you're here," she continues, muttering numbly as she stands up and follows my lead.

Everything is in the same place as it was, so I locate the gauze and bandages fairly quick, leaving Chloe sitting at the kitchen with her bloodied hands resting on her lap.

"Max is here... Max is in my house," She repeats, clearly in a state of shock, either from the blood or my mere presence.

I slowly and cautiously walk up to her, not really sure how to handle tis situation.

 _God, Joyce isn't going to be happy when she get's home,_ I realize.

"Okay... I'm going to bandage up your hands now," I tell her, making sure to let Chloe know my intent before touching her.

Chloe nods a little, still staring off into space, sitting up stalk-still on the chair.

"Okay, Maxine".

I blink in confusion as she calls me by my real name, something I honestly haven't heard in years.

"Um... my name real name is Maxine but... I prefer Max, remember?".

Chloe looks at me for a moment and shakes her head, "Your name is Maxine... I- I remember that. I don't remember calling you Max".

 _But... you just did,_ I want to point out, but Chloe seems confused and worried enough so I hold my tongue.

"That's okay... you can call me whatever you'd like," I tell her, softly picking off bits of glass from her hands before getting up and moving towards the sink.

"Where are you going?".

"I'm just going to get a wet towel so I can clean the blood off your hands" I reply, hearing the uncertainty in her voice.

"You... you're not going to leave, are you?".

I shake my head, "No...".

She nods slowly and looks back down at her hands, "Okay...".

 _Oh god, Chloe... what happened to you?_

I walk over to the sink, the glass crunching under my feet and run a dish rag under the tap, my mind trying to comprehend the fact that the girl sitting in the other room isn't my best friend, but a stranger in her clothing.

 _Chloe's still in there, Max,_ I tell myself, feeling like an asshole for even thinking that she's anyone else, _I just have to help her find who she is again._

"Maxine?".

I turn to Chloe again and nod, "Yeah?".

She's quiet for a moment before she continues. "I missed you,".

I swallow hard and nod sadly, "I know...".

"I'm glad your back though," she adds, shifting around slightly.

"Me too," I reply with a soft sigh, walking over and kneeling down in front of her again, "I missed you, too".

Both of us are quite as I wipe her hands clean of blood, Chloe wincing slightly when I run the cloth over the cuts.

"Did you like Seattle?".

I shrug, "It was okay... really lonely if I'm honest".

"Oh...".

I nod, "Yeah...".

Another bout of silence passes over us.

"So... are you and your family back in Arcadia Bay?".

"Just me... I- I got into Blackwell... so that's cool," I say with forced excitement, not really wanting to bring school into our conversation.

"That's awesome, Maxine. I always knew you could do it," Chloe say, her voice returning to its emotionless tone, "Did you get into the photography program like you wanted?".

I blush, flattered that she remembered that."Y- yeah... I start classes tomorrow. I'm... nervous about it".

"Don't be... Blackwell classes are pretty nice".

I look up at her for a second, trying to focus on her glazed, out of focus eyes, "You... graduated from Blackwell?".

She nods, "Yeah. Just barely... s- school isn't exactly my forte as you know".

I swallow hard and nod, wondering if she's figured out that I know about her past.

"Y- yeah... it's not mine either".

"You'll be fine. I believe in you".

I blush and finish wrapping her hands in gauze, giving them a very gentle squeeze before standing up. "Okay... um, I have to clean up the glass on the floor. Will, will you be okay on your own for a few minutes?".

"I- I dropped the plate... I should clean it up," she says, trying to get up and push past me.

"It's fine, Chloe. It wasn't your fault, it was an accident," I reassure her.

She looks confused when I tell her this.

"But I-".

"It's fine," I say with a smile, "Go ahead and sit down in the living room. I can handle it".

She stares at me for a moment, opening her mouth to say something but closing it after a second.

"O- okay".

So I watch as she wanders aimlessly over to the living room and flops down on the couch, continuing to stare at her hands before.

With a somewhat satisfied sigh, I turn back to the kitchen and find the broom and dustpan, beginning to sweep up the shattered glass left on the floor.

It takes less than 5 minutes for me to finish, and by the time I make my way back over to Chloe I see that she hasn't moved an inch.

"Chloe," I say, resting my hand on her shoulder and unintentionally making her jump, "Hey, it's okay... it's just me".

She nods and takes a breath, pressing her hand on her chest, "Sorry... I'm, I'm sorta jumpy nowadays".

I nod a little and sit next to her, watching as she continues to stare off into nothingness.

"Are... are you okay?" I ask hesitantly.

She sighs a little, "Yeah... I think so".

"Okay...".

We're quiet again, nothing but the sound of our breathing in the room.

"So... how long have you been back?".

"Not even a day... coming to see you was the first thing I did today,".

"Why?".

I blink, "W- what do you mean?".

"Why come see me?".

"Because you're my best friend, and I feel like an asshole for not keeping in touch,".

"It's not your fault," Chloe says, "Not wanting to talk to me was your choice, and who am I to question that?".

"I- i-it's not that I didn't want to talk to you, Chloe. I just... I- I-".

"It's okay, Maxine. You don't have to explain yourself," she says, her voice still not conveying any sort of emotion.

"B- but...". I take a deep breath, confused about how calm she is over a subject that literally makes me panic. "You, you're not upset?" I ask, trying not to sound too emotional even though I can already feel myself starting to cry.

"I have a lot of other things I could be upset about, but being upset at you isn't one of them".

I fail to hold back a sob and Chloe turns to me, confused.

"How are you not upset?".

"Because I know you didn't intentionally try to screw me over. Shit happens, that's just life".

"But shit like this shouldn't happen!" I tell her, causing her to flinch again, "Best friends are always supposed to be there for each other and I wasn't. And look what happened while I was gone!".

And we both go dead silent, and I know I overstepped my bounds.

Chloe's brows furrow for a moment but then relax as she releases a broken sigh.

"Chloe, I-".

"So mom told you?" she asks.

I swallow hard and nod, my voice nothing more than a squeak.

"Yes...".

"So you know about the school and everything? What t- they did? To me?".

Her voice wavers for a moment.

"I- I didn't pry too much but... I got the gist of what happened. I'm so-".

"Please don't say you're sorry, Maxine. I get that enough".

I swallow again, "Sorry".

She sighs again.

"I can tell you have questions".

I do but I'll never ask them, even I'm not that much of an asshole.

"You don't have to tell me anything," I tell her, "I don't need to know anything you're not comfortable telling me".

"That's good. I wasn't intending on telling you anything" she says, still not moving a muscle.

I shift uncomfortably beside her and sniffle a bit, so not used to Chloe acting like this.

"I-... I'll get there though," she continues, "it's just hard for me to open up about it".

I nod numbly.

"So, are... you going to stay for dinner?".

I look up at her confused for a second, "I- if you want me to...".

"Of course I want you to. But you'll have to help. I was in the middle of making it when you showed up".

I nod and swallow hard, trying to hold down my growing anxiety, "O- okay. W- what do you need help with?".

She shrugs and stands up, "Chopping veggies in shit. Mom usually does that when she gets home, plus I need help... doing stuff since uh, my hands are kinda useless at this point".

I look at her bandaged hands and nod, "Y- yeah, I'll help with whatever you need"

So I let Chloe lead me back to the kitchen where she explains what she was trying to make, some sort of roast she remembered her mom made a few years back.

We're quiet again and the silence is seriously starting to get to me and I take the vegetables Chloe pointed out-out of the fridge and start cutting them up while she prepares the roast itself.

"You can talk to me you know," she says suddenly, "The worst thing you can do is treat me like a baby, anyways I miss talking shit with people. I- I don't really get out that much anymore, or talk for that matter".

I swallow hard and nod, "O- okay... w- whatdaya wanna talk about?".

"Tell me about Seattle," she says, and so I do. I tell Chloe all about my ventures in Seattle avoiding topics like school, which works for me since I hated school in Seattle. "You'll have to show me your photos next time you visit," Chloe adds when I tell her about how I still take pictures with my old polaroid.

"I- I have some with me if you want to see them," I explain, setting the vegetables inside the slow cooker as she puts the meat in.

"That would be cool. But I've gotta change first and so do you. I don't think my mom would much appreciate up both being covered in blood".

I burrow my eyebrows in confusion for a moment before looking down at myself and seeing my shirt and jeans are covered with blood.

"Shit...".

"It's no problem. You can borrow some of my clothes then we can wash yours during dinner, okay?".

I nod and follow Chloe as she leads me up the stairs and into her room, which is practically cleaner and more pristine than mine ever has.

"Wow..." I mutter, setting my bag down on her bed.

"Don't act so surprised, Maxine. I'm not the fuck up everybody thinks I am".

I blush a little, "I... didn't say anything".

"My room is clean. You're not used to that,".

I blush even more and avert my eyes, "You've changed a lot... I'm, not used to it".

"You've changed too," she says blandly, closing the door, "But I'm still me, and you're still you... right?".

I nod and sigh softly, "Even when we're apart. We're still Max and Chloe".

She smiles at that, "Exactly".

It's the first time I've seen her smile so of course, I smile back, blushing and giggling little more as I do so.

"Go ahead and pilfer through my fashion hole, I think you might fit into some of my old clothes," she says pointing to her closet.

I hum a little and walk over to it, "Remember when we used to hide in here as kids?".

She chuckles a little, showing more emotion than she has since I got here. "Our Super Secret Closet Layer... heh, ironic now that I think about it".

"How so?".

She shrugs and goes back to the monotone way of talking, "Just is".

I keep thinking about that as I change, finding some old punk clothes hidden in the bottom of the closet.

I'm just about to ask her about them since I can tell by the other things in the closet, Chloe's wardrobe mainly consists of long-sleeved tee-shirts and jeans, but when I turn around, I see a half naked Chloe standing next to me. I turn around as fast as I can, my face frying and my ears growing hot.

 _Oh my god..._

"Um... you okay?".

I jump and nod, doing my best to hide my intense blush, "Yep".

 _Oh my god..._

"Are you all changed yet?".

I nod and pull up my fresh set of jeans, "Just finished. Y- you".

"Same".

 _Oh. My. God._

 _Max... keep your cool, don't panic._

 _It's just Chloe..._

 _Your BEST FRIEND..._

 _You saw her naked..._

 _That changes nothing..._

 _It's not like you have a crush on her..._

 _Right?_

"Maxine?".

I jump again and look over at her, my face still red. "Yeah?"

"Come on... we can relax and watch TV if you want. Got a few hours 'till mom gets home".

I nod and follow her again, "Sounds good, Chloe".

So I follow her out of the room and desperately try not to acknowledge the fact that I still, after five years apart, have a hopeless crush on Chloe Price.


	3. Homecoming

I wasn't wrong when I said Joyce would be pissed when she found out about Chloe's little mishap.

Well, maybe pissed isn't the right word… _disappointed_ is more fitting. But what I didn't expect was for Joyce to flat-out scold her daughter, telling her that she should have known better than trying to pick up the shattered glass with her bare hands.

I was stunned, needless to say, shocked that Joyce would talk to Chloe like that, especially considering what she'd been through, but I guess that was the point.

Chloe said she didn't want to be treated like a baby… she just wants to be treated like a normal person, not a traumatized victim.

"It's fine, Maxine," she reassures once Joyce takes over the cooking from where we left off, "I mean… Max. No harm was done, cuts and scraps will heal… hopefully, scars will too".

I know she's talking about what happened to Chloe, but I refuse to comment on it, so I decided to make myself useful.

"Can I set up the table?".

Joyce smiles and nods, "Sure sweetie, I trust you remember where everything is? The house hasn't changed much since you left,".

Sure enough, everything is basically the same as it was when I was 13, having pancakes with Chloe the morning before her dad died, leaving me with an odd sense of going back in time.

"It's… really nice to be back," I reply, "I just wish I'd come back sooner. Chloe… *sigh* Chloe needed me,".

"Don't blame yourself, Max," Joyce says, sounding equally sad and stern, "It wasn't your fault, things like that happen… even though they shouldn't".

Setting down the plates I've collected, I look over at Chloe, watching her as she sits in the living room, her eyes glued to the TV. She's watching some sort of documentary, and I hear the words 'Chaos Theory' being thrown around every so often, along with the butterfly effect, and other time-related phrases.

It honestly brings a smile to my face, glad that Chloe never lost her passion and interest in science… so at least I know that not everything changes. However, the smile fades when she flinches, Joyce accidentally clanging a dish a little too hard into the sink.

"I still should have been there, or at least called." I continue, "I should have been a better friend…".

The woman doesn't reply for a moment and only sighs as if lost in thought.

"No one is blaming you for the lack of contact, Max," she finally says, turning to me with a half smile, "You were young, and I'm sure the move was hard for you, it was hard on all of us, but you're here now… and Chloe never stopped thinking of you as a friend. So make the time you have with her now count… alright?".

I smile back, and nod, looking back at the blonde who's seemingly oblivious to the world around her. "Okay, Joyce… I will,".

After that, we drop the conversation and continue with preparing dinner, Chloe milling about every so often to see how we're doing, having grown bored of the TV.

"It's weird having you back, Maxine," she says, "I can barely remember the last time I saw you cooking with us,".

I have to chuckle nervously, knowing exactly when the last time we cooked together was. "Y- yeah… It's awesome hanging out here again. I missed everything about Arcadia Bay. The ocean, the forest, the diner-".

Looking towards Chloe I pause and blush.

"You,".

She smiles back, masking a blush of her own.

"I missed you too, Maxine. A lot,".

There's a moment of silence between us, Joyce, Chloe and me all smiling amongst ourselves.

That is, until the front door opens, slightly more harsh than necessary.

Chloe immediately jumps, and I half expect her to drop to the ground in fear again just from the noise. But she just stands stock still in the doorway, not even moving to acknowledge who just entered the house.

I hear him before I see him.

"David, is that you?" Joyce calls, walking past Chloe with a pat on the shoulder, "You're back late, did something happen at work?".

"Something always happens," a man's voice says, gruff and harsh sounding, "I can never get any rest with those entitled Blackwell brats wreaking havoc every damn second. That's what you get from that PC bullshit- wait… who the fuck are you?".

This time, I freeze, not exactly expecting this hostility from someone I've never met.

"You gonna answer me or what?".

"David, calm down," the woman warns, "This is Max, an old family friend,".

I wave awkwardly and smile, "H- hi,".

"Okay… what's she doing here? I don't like having people coming unannounced to my home,".

 _Jeez, what's this guy's problem? Surely he's heard Chloe or even Joyce talk about me… right?_

"She's my friend," Chloe says suddenly, her voice small and timid, "She's having dinner with us, right, Maxine?".

I just nod and hum.

I can tell that 'David' is going to protest some more, but Joyce stops him before he's able to say more. "Alright, why don't go get out of your work uniform, we can make introductions later," she says, shooing him upstairs.

He looks at me for a moment, clearly not pleased with my presence by obeys his wife none the less.

"I'll look forward to meeting you at dinner… Max," he says before disappearing down the hallway and up the stairs.

We all watch him leave, Joyce sighing in disappointment.

"I'm sorry that that's how you had to meet David, he's a kind soul, he really is. He's just…".

"An asshole?".

My jaw nearly hits the floor when I hear this from Chloe, forced to stifle a laugh.

Somewhere in that head of her's… my Chloe is still there.

"Chloe…" Joyce warns.

"He is… I don't like the way he's talking to my friend,".

"And I don't like the way you're talking about my husband," she snaps back, " _Your_ step-father, mind you,".

 _Oh…_

 _Wrong move, Joyce._

 _Wrong move._

"It'll be a cold day in hell before I even consider that man my father, _fuck_ him,".

Still, I don't say anything, I just stay still with a look of shock on my face.

"Go upstairs and cool down before you say something you're going to regret young lady," Joyce says, inching her fingers against the bridge of her nose, "Now, please,".

Chloe crosses her arms and rolls her eyes, stomping off upstairs while muttering angerly to herself.

Joyce and I both wait until she's gone before speaking, letting the tension drain out of the air. Again, I expect Joyce to be upset, or at the least pissed off, but..., instead… she laughs. It's a small, light, but still heartfelt laugh. "Don't worry, Max. It's… It's refreshing to see her like that to be honest, that's the boldest I've seen Chloe in years… she never talks like that anymore, at least not with David in the house,".

I try to smile, but the implication that Chloe doesn't feel safe talking about how she thinks of David in her own home is slightly unnerving for some reason. _It's clear she's afraid of him for the obvious, but… I'm worried that there is something else that scares her about David._

"I think having you around again will bring my baby back,".

"I hope so," I whisper.

With a sigh, Joyce turns to me again and smiles, "Might as well go check on her… I'll call you both down once dinner is ready, shouldn't be too long,".

"Okay,".

"And try not to make a mess up there," she teases, turning back to her preparations, "oh, and Max?'.

I pause in the doorway, "Yeah?".

"Welcome home,".


End file.
